In this article, Europe refers to the geographical continent, not the somewhat larger Western Palearctic, which includes parts of the Middle East and north Africa.
There are 930 species of bird in the area, and in general the avifauna is similar to Asia north of the Himalayas, which is also in the Palearctic realm. There are also many groups shared with
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. 65 species are globally threatened, 4 species are extinct, and 18 species are introduced by people.
Conversely, many of the Southern Hemisphere groups, including the ancient flightless '' Struthioniformes'' ( ostrich order), and their relatives the tinamous are not represented at all.
The order follows th ''IOC World Bird List'' version 12.2.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
* (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Europe
* (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Europe
* (Ext)
Extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
- a species that no longer exists
* (Ex) Extirpated - a species that is extinct in the wild in Europe
* (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Europe as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Guineafowl
Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.
* Helmeted guineafowl, ''Numida meleagris'' (I)
Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...
Pheasants and allies are terrestrial species, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings.
* Hazel grouse, ''Tetrastes bonasia''
* Western capercaillie, ''Tetrao urogallus''
* Black grouse, ''Lyrurus tetrix''
*
Rock ptarmigan
The rock ptarmigan (''Lagopus muta'') is a medium-sized game bird in the grouse family. It is known simply as the ptarmigan in the UK. It is the official bird for the Canadian territory of Nunavut, where it is known as the ''aqiggiq'' (ᐊᕿ ...
Barbary partridge
The Barbary partridge (''Alectoris barbara'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa.
Distribution
The Barbary partridge has its main native range in North Africa, and is also na ...
, ''Alectoris barbara''
*
Red-legged partridge
The red-legged partridge (''Alectoris rufa'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge. The ge ...
, ''Alectoris rufa''
*
Black francolin
The black francolin (''Francolinus francolinus'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It was formerly known as the black partridge. It is the state bird of Haryana state, India (locally ...
Common pheasant
The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus'') is a bird in the pheasant family (biology), family (Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Geor ...
Anseriformes
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...
Family: Anatidae
The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds that are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown. The diet consists of a variety of animals and plants. The family is well represented in Europe with many introduced species as well.
* White-faced whistling duck, ''Dendrocygna viduata'' (A)
* Brant goose, ''Branta bernicla''
*
Red-breasted goose
The red-breasted goose (''Branta ruficollis'') is a brightly marked species of goose in the genus ''Branta'' from Eurasia. It is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.
Taxonomy and etymology
The red-breasted goose is sometimes placed ...
, ''Branta ruficollis''
*
Canada goose
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
Cackling goose
The cackling goose (''Branta hutchinsii'') is a species of goose found in North America.
Description
The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish this goose from all other geese except the larger Canada goose (''Branta canadensis'' ...
Mute swan
The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home ...
Common shelduck
The common shelduck (''Tadorna tadorna'') is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus, ''Tadorna''. It is widespread and common in the Euro-Siberian region of the Palearctic, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; i ...
, ''Tadorna tadorna''
*
Ruddy shelduck
The ruddy shelduck (''Tadorna ferruginea''), known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a member of the family Anatidae. It is a distinctive waterfowl, in length with a wingspan of . It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the ...
Gadwall
The gadwall (''Mareca strepera'') is a common and widespread dabbling duck in the family Anatidae.
Taxonomy
The gadwall was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. DNA studies have shown that ...
Mallard
The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...
Bufflehead
The bufflehead (''Bucephala albeola'') is a small sea duck of the genus ''Bucephala'', the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' as ''Anas albeola''.
The genus na ...
Smew
The smew (''Mergellus albellus'') is a species of duck, and is the only living member of the genus ''Mergellus''. ''Mergellus'' is a diminutive of '' Mergus'' and ''albellus'' is from Latin ''albus'' "white". This genus is closely related to ' ...
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
* Common nighthawk, ''Chordeiles minor'' (A)
*
Red-necked nightjar
The red-necked nightjar (''Caprimulgus ruficollis'') is the largest of the nightjars occurring in Europe. It breeds in Iberian peninsula, Iberia and North Africa, and bird migration, winters in tropical West Africa.
Taxonomy
''Caprimulgus'' is de ...
, ''Caprimulgus ruficollis''
* European nightjar, ''Caprimulgus europaeus''
*
Egyptian nightjar
The Egyptian nightjar (''Caprimulgus aegyptius'') is a medium-small nightjar which occurs in south west Asia and north Africa and winters in tropical Africa. This is a fairly common species with a wide distribution which faces no obvious threats ...
, ''Caprimulgus aegyptius'' (A)
Swifts
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces.
*
White-throated needletail
The white-throated needletail (''Hirundapus caudacutus''), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. It is reputed to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h (105 mph) in horizontal flight, but this ...
Alpine swift
The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'') formerly ''Apus melba'', is a species of swift found in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are migratory; the souther ...
, ''Tachymarptis melba''
* Common swift, ''Apus apus''
*
Plain swift
The plain swift (''Apus unicolor'') is a medium-sized swift. Although this bird is superficially similar to a barn swallow or house martin, it is not related to those passerine species. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent ev ...
Pacific swift
The Pacific swift or fork-tailed swift (''Apus pacificus'') is a species of bird that is part of the Swift family. It breeds in eastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, spending the northern hemisphere's winter in Southeast Asia and Austral ...
Order: OtidiformesFamily: OtididaeBustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
* Great bustard, ''Otis tarda''
*
Houbara bustard
The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...
anis
Anis ( ar, أنيس) is a masculine given name. The meaning of the name Anis is "genial" or "close friend".
People In arts
* Anis Mohamed Youssef Ferchichi, German rapper known as Bushido
* Anis Haffar, educational theorist, teacher, columnist ...
. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are
brood parasite
Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its own ...
s.
*
Great spotted cuckoo
The great spotted cuckoo (''Clamator glandarius'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals.
It is widely spread throughout Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. It i ...
Black-billed cuckoo
The black-billed cuckoo (''Coccyzus erythropthalmus'') is a New World species in the Cuculidae (cuckoo) family. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, ''kokkuzo'', means to call like a common cuckoo, and ''erythropthalmus'' i ...
Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.
*
Pallas's sandgrouse
Pallas's sandgrouse (''Syrrhaptes paradoxus'') is a medium to large bird in the sandgrouse family.
Naming
Marco Polo mentions a bird called ''Bargherlac'' (from Turkmen ''bağırlak'') in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'', published around 1300. ...
Black-bellied sandgrouse
The black-bellied sandgrouse (''Pterocles orientalis'') is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family.
The nominate race breeds in Iberia, northwest Africa, the Canary Islands, Turkey, Iran, Cyprus and Israel. The eastern form ''P. o. arenar ...
Stock dove
The stock dove (''Columba oenas'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic.
Taxonomy
The stock dove was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Li ...
Trocaz pigeon
The trocaz pigeon, Madeira laurel pigeon or long-toed pigeon (''Columba trocaz'') is a pigeon which is endemic to the island of Madeira, Portugal. It is a mainly grey bird with a pinkish breast; its silvery neck patch and lack of white wing marki ...
, ''Columba trocaz''
*
Bolle's pigeon
Bolle's pigeon (''Columba bollii'') is a species of the genus Columba of family Columbidae, doves and pigeons, endemic to the Canary Islands, Spain. This bird is named after the German naturalist Carl Bolle, who was the first to distinguish it ...
European turtle dove
The European turtle dove (''Streptopelia turtur'') is a member of the bird family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It breeds over a wide area of the south western Palearctic including north Africa but migrates to northern sub-Saharan Africa ...
African collared dove
The African collared dove (''Streptopelia roseogrisea'') is a small dove found in the Sahel, northern parts of the Horn of Africa and southwestern Arabia. Although it lives in arid lands, it is found around water sources.
This bird is typica ...
Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
Family: RallidaeRallidae is a family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails,
crake
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...
s, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
* Virginia rail, ''Rallus limicola'' (A)
* Water rail, ''Rallus aquaticus''
*
African crake
The African crake (''Crecopsis egregia'') is a small- to medium-size ground-living bird in the rail family, found in most of central to southern Africa. It is seasonally common in most of its range other than the rainforests and areas that have ...
Allen's gallinule
Allen's gallinule (''Porphyrio alleni''), formerly known as the lesser gallinule, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is ''Porphyrula alleni''. ''Porphyrio'' is the Latin for "swamphen", and ''alleni'', like the ...
, ''Porphyrio alleni'' (A)
*
Purple gallinule Purple gallinule is an alternative name for two species of birds in the rail family. It can refer to:
* Purple swamphen, a group of closely related species of swamphen of the Old World
* American purple gallinule
The purple gallinule (''Porphyr ...
Watercock
The watercock (''Gallicrex cinerea'') is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. It is the only member of the genus ''Gallicrex''.
Taxonomy
The watercock was formally described in 17 ...
, ''Gallicrex cinerea'' (A)
Cranes
Order:
Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
Crane
Crane or cranes may refer to:
Common meanings
* Crane (bird), a large, long-necked bird
* Crane (machine), industrial machinery for lifting
** Crane (rail), a crane suited for use on railroads
People and fictional characters
* Crane (surname) ...
s are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
* Siberian crane, ''Leucogeranus leucogeranus''
* Sandhill crane, ''Antigone canadensis'' (A)
*
Demoiselle crane
The demoiselle crane (''Grus virgo'') is a species of crane found in central Eurosiberia, ranging from the Black Sea to Mongolia and North Eastern China. There is also a small breeding population in Turkey. These cranes are migratory birds. Bir ...
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large diving birds with lobed toes and pointed bills. They are seen mainly on lowland waterbodies and coasts. They feed on aquatic animals and nest on a floating platform of vegetation.
* Little grebe, ''Tachybaptus ruficollis''
* Pied-billed grebe, ''Podilymbus podiceps'' (A)
* Red-necked grebe, ''Podiceps grisegena''
* Great crested grebe, ''Podiceps cristatus''
* Horned grebe, ''Podiceps auritus''
* Black-necked grebe, ''Podiceps nigricollis''
Flamingos
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: PhoenicopteridaeFlamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
* Greater flamingo, ''Phoenicopterus roseus''
* American flamingo, ''Phoenicopterus ruber'' (A)
* Lesser flamingo, ''Phoenicopterus minor'' (A)
Buttonquail
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
* Common buttonquail, ''Turnix sylvaticus''
Burhinidae
The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
* Eurasian stone-curlew, ''Burhinus oedicnemus''
mollusc
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
Canary Islands oystercatcher
The Canary Islands oystercatcher, Canarian oystercatcher, or Canarian black oystercatcher (''Haematopus meadewaldoi''),
Etymology: ''Haematopus'', Latinized Ancient Greek for "bloody-footed", from ''(h)aimato-'' (αίματό-), '"blood-" + ''-p ...
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
A family of fairly large wading birds. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
* Black-winged stilt, ''Himantopus himantopus''
* Pied avocet, ''Recurvirostra avosetta''
* American avocet, ''Recurvirostra americana'' (A)
Plovers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
Small to medium-sized wading birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
*
Northern lapwing
The northern lapwing (''Vanellus vanellus''), also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tew-it, green plover, or (in Ireland and Britain) pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Eurosiberia. ...
, ''Vanellus vanellus''
*
Spur-winged lapwing
The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (''Vanellus spinosus'') is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae.
It is one of several species of wader supposed to be the "trochilus" bird said by Herodotus ...
, ''Vanellus spinosus''
*
Grey-headed lapwing
The grey-headed lapwing (''Vanellus cinereus'') is a lapwing species which breeds in northeast China and Japan. The mainland population winters in northern Southeast Asia from northeastern India to Cambodia. The Japanese population winters, at ...
Caspian plover
The Caspian plover (''Charadrius asiaticus'') is a wader in the plover family of birds. The genus name ''Charadrius'' is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek ''kharadrios'' ...
Rostratulidae
The Rostratulidae, commonly known as the painted-snipes, are a family of wading birds that consists of two genera: ''Rostratula'' and '' Nycticryphes''.
Description
The painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the t ...
Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
* Greater painted-snipe, ''Rostratula benghalensis''
Sandpipers and snipes
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
* Upland sandpiper, ''Bartramia longicauda'' (A)
*
Eurasian whimbrel
The Eurasian whimbrel or common whimbrel (''Numenius phaeopus'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic Asia and Europe as far south as Scotland. This specie ...
Black-tailed godwit
The black-tailed godwit (''Limosa limosa'') is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, ''Limosa''. There are four subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest ...
, ''Limosa limosa''
*
Hudsonian godwit
The Hudsonian godwit (''Limosa haemastica'') is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. The genus name ''Limosa'' is from Latin and means "muddy", from ''limus'', "mud". The specific ''haemastica'' is from Ancient Greek and means ...
Spoon-billed sandpiper
The spoon-billed sandpiper (''Calidris pygmaea'') is a small wader which breeds on the coasts of the Bering Sea and winters in Southeast Asia. This species is highly threatened, and it is said that since the 1970s the breeding population has dec ...
White-rumped sandpiper
The white-rumped sandpiper (''Calidris fuscicollis'') is a small shorebird that breeds in the northern tundra of Canada and Alaska. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as " ...
Jack snipe
The jack snipe or jacksnipe (''Lymnocryptes minimus'') is a small stocky wader. It is the smallest snipe, and the only member of the genus ''Lymnocryptes''. Features such as its sternum make it quite distinct from other snipes or woodcocks.
Et ...
Swinhoe's snipe
Swinhoe's snipe, (''Gallinago megala''), also known as forest snipe or Chinese snipe, is a medium-sized (length 27–29 cm, wingspan 38–44 cm, weight 120 gm), long-billed, migratory wader.
The common name commemorates the British na ...
, ''Gallinago megala'' (A)
*
Great snipe
The great snipe (''Gallinago media'') is a small stocky wader in the genus ''Gallinago''. This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe, including north-western Russia. Great snipes are mig ...
Common sandpiper
The common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos'') is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (''A. macularia''), make up the genus ''Actitis''. They are parapatric and replace each other geographical ...
Solitary sandpiper
The solitary sandpiper (''Tringa solitaria'') is a small shorebird. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'', a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbin ...
, ''Tringa solitaria'' (A)
*
Grey-tailed tattler
The grey-tailed tattler (''Tringa brevipes'', formerly ''Heteroscelus brevipes''Banks, Richard C.; Cicero, Carla; Dunn, Jon L.; Kratter, Andrew W.; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Remsen, J. V. Jr.; Rising, James D. & Stotz, Douglas F. (2006):Forty-seventh ...
skimmer
Skimmer may refer to: Animals
*Skimmer (bird), a common name for birds in the genus ''Rynchops''
*Skimmer (dragonfly), a common name for dragonflies in the family Libellulidae
*Water strider or skimmer, a common name for insects in the family Ge ...
s. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
* Brown noddy, ''Anous stolidus'' (A)
*
Black skimmer
The black skimmer (''Rynchops niger'') is a tern-like seabird, one of three similar birds species in the skimmer genus ''Rynchops'' in the gull family Laridae. It breeds in North and South America. Northern populations winter in the warmer water ...
, ''Rynchops niger'' (A)
*
Black-legged kittiwake
The black-legged kittiwake (''Rissa tridactyla'') is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.
This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' as ''Larus tridactylus''. The English ...
, ''Rissa tridactyla''
*
Ivory gull
The ivory gull (''Pagophila eburnea'') is a small gull, the only species in the genus ''Pagophila''. It breeds in the high Arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through Greenland, northernmost North America, and Eurasia.
Taxonomy
The ivory ...
Pallas's gull
Pallas's gull (''Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus''), also known as the great black-headed gull, is a large bird species. As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus ''Larus''. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. '' ...
Short-billed gull
The short-billed gull (''Larus brachyrhynchus'') is a medium-sized species of gull that breeds in northwestern North America. In North America it was previously known as the mew gull, when it was considered conspecific with the palearctic common g ...
Glaucous gull
The glaucous gull (''Larus hyperboreus'') is a large gull, the second-largest gull in the world. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and winters south to shores of the Holarctic. The genus name is from Latin ''larus'', which a ...
, ''Larus hyperboreus''
*
Iceland gull
The Iceland gull (''Larus glaucoides'') is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland (as its name suggests), where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin ''larus'', whic ...
Slaty-backed gull
The slaty-backed gull (''Larus schistisagus'') is a large, white-headed gull that breeds on the north-eastern coast of the Palearctic, but travels widely during nonbreeding seasons. It is similar in appearance to the western gull and the glaucou ...
Royal tern
The royal tern (''Thalasseus maximus'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The species is endemic to the Americas, though strays have been identified in Europe.Buckley, P. A. and F. G. Buckley (2020). Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus), version 1.0. ...
Royal tern
The royal tern (''Thalasseus maximus'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The species is endemic to the Americas, though strays have been identified in Europe.Buckley, P. A. and F. G. Buckley (2020). Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus), version 1.0. ...
, ''Thalasseus maximus'' (A)
*
West African crested tern
The West African crested tern (''Thalasseus albididorsalis'') is a bird species in the family Laridae. Until 2020 it was considered a subspecies of the New World royal tern, ''Thalasseus maximus''.R. Terry Chesser, Shawn M. Billerman, Kevin J. B ...
Cabot's tern
Cabot's tern (''Thalasseus acuflavidus'') is a tern in the family Laridae formerly considered as a subspecies of the Sandwich tern. It has since been shown to be more closely related to the elegant tern (''Thalasseus elegans''). The genus name i ...
Saunders's tern
Saunders's tern (''Sternula saundersi''), sometimes known as the Black-Shafted tern, is a species of bird in the family Laridae.
It is sparsely resident along the shores of the north-western Indian Ocean (namely southern Somalia, Arabian peninsul ...
Aleutian tern
The Aleutian tern (''Onychoprion aleuticus'') is a migratory bird living in the subarctic region of the globe most of the year. It is frequently associated with the Arctic tern, which it closely resembles. While both species have a black cap, th ...
Sooty tern
The sooty tern (''Onychoprion fuscatus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans, returning to land only to breed on islands throughout the equatorial zone.
Taxonomy
The sooty tern was described by Carl Linnaeu ...
, ''Onychoprion fuscatus'' (A)
*
Roseate tern
The roseate tern (''Sterna dougallii'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific ''dougallii'' refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDoug ...
, ''Sterna dougallii''
* Common tern, ''Sterna hirundo''
*
White-cheeked tern
The white-cheeked tern (''Sterna repressa'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae.
It is found around the coasts on the Red Sea, around the Horn of Africa to Kenya, in the Persian Gulf and along the Iranian coast to Pakistan and western Ind ...
, ''Sterna repressa'' (A)
*
Arctic tern
The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south a ...
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.
* South polar skua, ''Stercorarius maccormicki'' (A)
*
Great skua
The great skua (''Stercorarius skua''), sometimes known by the name bonxie in Britain, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is roughly the size of a herring gull. It mainly eats fish caught at the sea surface or taken fr ...
, ''Stercorarius skua''
*
Pomarine jaeger
The pomarine jaeger (''Stercorarius pomarinus''), pomarine skua, or pomatorhine skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans.
Taxonomy
Its relationships are not fully resolved; i ...
, ''Stercorarius pomarinus''
*
Parasitic jaeger
The parasitic jaeger (''Stercorarius parasiticus''), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migratory species that breeds in Northern Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, ...
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits, however they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.
* Little auk, ''Alle alle''
* Thick-billed murre, ''Uria lomvia''
* Common murre, ''Uria aalge''
* Razorbill, ''Alca torda''
*
Great auk
The great auk (''Pinguinus impennis'') is a species of flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus ''Pinguinus''. It is not closely related to the birds now known as penguins, wh ...
, ''Pinguinus impennis'' (Ext)
*
Black guillemot
The black guillemot or tystie (''Cepphus grylle'') is a medium-sized seabird of the Alcidae family, native throughout northern Atlantic coasts and eastern North American coasts. It is resident in much of its range, but large populations from the ...
Long-billed murrelet
The long-billed murrelet (''Brachyramphus perdix'') is a small seabird from the North Pacific. The genus name ''Brachyramphus'' is from Ancient Greek ''brakhus'', "short", and ''rhamphos'', "bill". The species name ''perdix'' is Latin for "partr ...
Parakeet auklet
The parakeet auklet (''Aethia psittacula'') is a small seabird of the North Pacific. Parakeet Auklets used to be placed on its own in the genus ''Cyclorrhynchus'' ( Kaup, 1829) but recent morphological and genetic evidence suggest it should be pl ...
Atlantic puffin
The Atlantic puffin ('), also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northeastern ...
, ''Fratercula arctica''
*
Horned puffin
The horned puffin (''Fratercula corniculata'') is an auk found in the North Pacific Ocean, including the coasts of Alaska, Siberia and British Columbia. It is a pelagic seabird that feeds primarily by diving for fish. It nests in colonies, often ...
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons, known as divers in Europe, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated.
* Red-throated loon, ''Gavia stellata''
* Black-throated loon, ''Gavia arctica''
*
Pacific loon
The Pacific loon or Pacific diver (''Gavia pacifica''), is a medium-sized member of the loon, or diver, family.
Taxonomy and etymology
The Pacific loon, previously considered conspecific with the similar black-throated loon, was classified as ...
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
The northern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, feeding on plankton and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. They nest in colonies on the ground, most often in burrows.
* European storm petrel, ''Hydrobates pelagicus''
*
Band-rumped storm petrel
The band-rumped storm petrel, Madeiran storm petrel, or Harcourt's storm petrel (''Hydrobates castro'') is of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae.
Description
The band-rumped storm petrel is 19–21 cm in length with a 43–46 cm wi ...
Swinhoe's storm petrel
Swinhoe's storm petrel or Swinhoe's petrel (''Hydrobates monorhis'') is a small, all-brown seabird of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae.
Etymology
The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek. ''Hydrobates'' is from ''hydro'' "water", a ...
, ''Hydrobates monorhis'' (A)
*
Leach's storm petrel
Leach's storm petrel or Leach's petrel (''Hydrobates leucorhous'') is a small seabird of the tubenose order. It is named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek. ''Hydrobates'' is from ...
, ''Hydrobates leucorhea''
Petrels and shearwaters
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
These are highly pelagic birds with long, narrow wings and tube-shaped nostrils. They feed at sea on fish,
squid
True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
and other marine life. They come to land to breed in colonies, nesting in burrows or on cliffs.
*
Southern giant petrel
The southern giant petrel (''Macronectes giganteus''), also known as the Antarctic giant petrel, giant fulmar, stinker, and stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar northern giant pet ...
Fea's petrel
The Fea's petrel (''Pterodroma feae'') is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus, '' Pterodroma''. It was previously considered to be a subspecies of the soft-plumaged petrel (''P. mollis''), but they are actually not closely related at al ...
Bermuda petrel
The Bermuda petrel (''Pterodroma cahow'') is a gadfly petrel. Commonly known in Bermuda as the cahow, a name derived from its eerie cries, this nocturnal ground-nesting seabird is the national bird of Bermuda and can be found pictured on Bermudi ...
Trindade petrel
The Trindade petrel (''Pterodroma arminjoniana'') is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is in size, with an wingspan.
The petrel has various color morphs: dark and light, as well as intermediates between the two. ...
Short-tailed shearwater
The short-tailed shearwater or slender-billed shearwater (''Ardenna tenuirostris''; formerly ''Puffinus tenuirostris''), also called yolla or moonbird, and commonly known as the muttonbird in Australia, is the most abundant seabird species in A ...
, ''Ardenna tenuirostris'' (A)
* Great shearwater, ''Ardenna gravis''
*
Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
Audubon's shearwater
Audubon's shearwater (''Puffinus lherminieri'') is a common tropical seabird in the petrel family. Sometimes known as the dusky-backed shearwater,Carboneras (1992) the specific epithet honours the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier.
Cer ...
, ''Puffinus lherminieri'' (A)
*
Barolo shearwater
The Barolo shearwater (''Puffinus baroli''), also known as the North Atlantic little shearwater or Macaronesian shearwater, is a small shearwater which breeds in the Azores and Canary Islands, Canaries of Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean. ...
, ''Puffinus baroli''
*
Boyd's shearwater
Egg of ''Puffinus boydi''(coll. MHNT)
Boyd's shearwater (''Puffinus boydi''), also known as the Cape Verde little shearwater, is a small shearwater which breeds in the Cape Verde archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean some 570 km off the coast ...
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.
*
Yellow-billed stork
The yellow-billed stork (''Mycteria ibis''), sometimes also called the wood stork or wood ibis, is a large African wading stork species in the family Ciconiidae. It is widespread in regions south of the Sahara and also occurs in Madagascar.
Taxo ...
, ''Mycteria ibis''
* Black stork, ''Ciconia nigra''
* White stork, ''Ciconia ciconia''
*
Marabou stork
The marabou stork (''Leptoptilos crumenifer'') is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is someti ...
, ''Leptoptilos crumenifer''
Frigatebirds
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked tails and long hooked bills. Females have white underbellies and males have a distinctive red gular pouch, which they inflate during the breeding season to attract females. Their wings are long and pointed and can span up to 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), the largest wing area to body weight ratio of any bird.
* Ascension frigatebird, ''Fregata aquila'' (A)
* Magnificent frigatebird, ''Fregata magnificens'' (A)
Red-footed booby
The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are f ...
, ''Sula sula'' (A)
*
Brown booby
The brown booby (''Sula leucogaster'') is a large seabird of the booby family Sulidae, of which it is perhaps the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brow ...
, ''Sula leucogaster'' (A)
Anhingas and darters
Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.
* African darter, ''Anhinga rufa''
Cormorants and shags
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.
* Pygmy cormorant, ''Microcarbo pygmeus''
*
White-breasted cormorant
The white-breasted cormorant (''Phalacrocorax lucidus'') is much like the widespread great cormorant and if not a regional variant of the same species, is at least very closely related. It is distinguished from other forms of the great cormorant ...
, ''Phalacrocorax lucidus''
* Great cormorant, ''Phalacrocorax carbo''
*
Spectacled cormorant
The spectacled cormorant or Pallas's cormorant (''Urile perspicillatus'') is an extinct marine bird of the cormorant family of seabirds that inhabited Bering Island and possibly other places in the Komandorski Islands and the nearby coast of Ka ...
heron
The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...
s and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
* Eurasian bittern, ''Botaurus stellaris''
* American bittern, ''Botaurus lentiginosus'' (A)
* Least bittern, ''Ixobrychus exilis'' (A)
* Little bittern, ''Ixobrychus minutus''
* Von Schrenck's bittern, ''Ixobrychus eurhythmus'' (A)
* Dwarf bittern, ''Ixobrychus sturmii'' (A)
*
Black-crowned night heron
The black-crowned night heron (''Nycticorax nycticorax''), or black-capped night heron, commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and N ...
, ''Nycticorax nycticorax''
*
Yellow-crowned night heron
The yellow-crowned night heron (''Nyctanassa violacea''), is one of two species of night herons found in the Americas, the other one being the black-crowned night heron. It is known as the ''bihoreau violacé'' in French and the ''pedrete coron ...
, ''Nyctanassa violacea'' (A)
*
Green heron
The green heron (''Butorides virescens'') is a small heron of North and Central America. ''Butorides'' is from Middle English ''butor'' "bittern" and Ancient Greek ''-oides'', "resembling", and ''virescens'' is Latin for "greenish".
It was long c ...
Western cattle egret
The western cattle egret (''Bubulcus ibis'') is a species of heron ( family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Most taxonomic authorities lump this species and the eastern cattle egret together (called the cat ...
, ''Bubulcus ibis''
*
Eastern cattle egret
The eastern cattle egret (''Bubulcus coromandus'') is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Most taxonomic authorities lump this species and the western cattle egret together as subspeci ...
Great blue heron
The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos ...
Black heron
The black heron (''Egretta ardesiaca''), also known as the black egret, is an African heron. It is well known for its habit of using its wings to form a canopy when fishing.
Description
The black heron is a medium-sized (42.5–66 cm ...
Snowy egret
The snowy egret (''Egretta thula'') is a small white heron. The genus name comes from Provençal French for the little egret, , which is a diminutive of , 'heron'. The species name ''thula'' is the Araucano term for the black-necked swan, app ...
Pelican
Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...
s are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak.
*
Great white pelican
The great white pelican (''Pelecanus onocrotalus'') also known as the eastern white pelican, rosy pelican or white pelican is a bird in the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and Africa, in swamps and shallow lakes. ...
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
Ospreys are large migratory fish-eating bird of prey. It is mainly brown above and white below with long, angled wings.
* Osprey, ''Pandion haliaetus''
Kites, hawks, and eagles
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
A family of birds of prey which includes hawks, buzzards, eagles, kites and harriers. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.
* Black-winged kite, ''Elanus caeruleus''
* Bearded vulture, ''Gypaetus barbatus''
* Egyptian vulture, ''Neophron percnopterus'' (A)
* European honey buzzard, ''Pernis apivorus''
*
Crested honey buzzard
The crested honey buzzard (''Pernis ptilorhynchus'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. ''Pernis ptilorhynchus'' has 6 subspecies. The size ranges b ...
Booted eagle
The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...
Bonelli's eagle
The Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata'') is a large bird of prey. The common name of the bird commemorates the Italian ornithologist and collector Franco Andrea Bonelli. Bonelli is credited with gathering the type specimen, most likely from an ...
, ''Aquila fasciata''
*
Levant sparrowhawk
The Levant sparrowhawk (''Accipiter brevipes'') is a small bird of prey. It measures in length with a wingspan of . The female is larger than the male, but the difference is not as marked as with Eurasian sparrowhawk. The adult male is blue-grey ...
, ''Accipiter brevipes''
*
Eurasian sparrowhawk
The Eurasian sparrowhawk (''Accipiter nisus''), also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred ...
, ''Accipiter nisus''
*
Northern goshawk
The northern goshawk (; ''Accipiter gentilis'') is a species of medium-large bird of prey, raptor in the Family (biology), family Accipitridae, a family which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harrier (bird) ...
Bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
Common buzzard
The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus ''Buteo'', it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across ...
, ''Buteo buteo''
Barn owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium-sized to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
* Western barn owl, ''Tyto alba''
* American barn owl, ''Tyto furcata''
Typical owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: StrigidaeOwls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 extant bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g., the northern hawk-owl). Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish.
* Eurasian scops owl, ''Otus scops''
* Snowy owl, ''Bubo scandiacus''
* Eurasian eagle-owl, ''Bubo bubo''
* Tawny owl, ''Strix aluco''
* Maghreb owl, ''Strix mauritanica''
* Ural owl, ''Strix uralensis''
* Great grey owl, ''Strix nebulosa''
* Northern hawk-owl, ''Surnia ulula''
*
Eurasian pygmy owl
The Eurasian pygmy owl (''Glaucidium passerinum'') is the smallest owl in Europe. It is a dark reddish to greyish-brown, with spotted sides and half of a white ring around the back of the neck. This species is found in the boreal forests of North ...
, ''Glaucidium passerinum''
*
Little owl
The little owl (''Athene noctua''), also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. It was introduced into Britain at ...
Brown boobook
The brown boobook (''Ninox scutulata''), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China.
This species is a part of the ...
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae
Distinctive birds with a long curved bill, a crest and black-and-white striped wings and tail.
* Eurasian hoopoe, ''Upupa epops''
* African hoopoe, ''Upupa africana''
Rollers
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Coraciidae
A small family of colourful, medium-sized birds with a crow-like shape that feed mainly on insects.
*
Abyssinian roller
The Abyssinian roller (''Coracias abyssinicus''), or Senegal roller, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa in a belt south of the Sahara, known as the Sahel. It is resident in the southern part of its ra ...
, ''Coracias abyssinicus'' (A)
* European roller, ''Coracias garrulus''
Belted kingfisher
The belted kingfisher (''Megaceryle alcyon'') is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests that this should be divided into three ...
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Meropidae
A group of near-passerine birds characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers.
* Asian green bee-eater, ''Merops orientalis'' (A)
*
Blue-cheeked bee-eater
The blue-cheeked bee-eater (''Merops persicus'') is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. The genus name ''Merops'' is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and ''persicus'' is Latin for "Persian".
It breeds in Northern Africa, and ...
Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
*Eurasian wryneck, ''Jynx torquilla''
*Yellow-bellied sapsucker, ''Sphyrapicus varius'' (A)
*Eurasian three-toed woodpecker, ''Picoides tridactylus''
*Middle spotted woodpecker, ''Dendrocoptes medius''
*Lesser spotted woodpecker, ''Dryobates minor''
*Syrian woodpecker, ''Dendrocopos syriacus''
*Great spotted woodpecker, ''Dendrocopos major''
*White-backed woodpecker, ''Dendrocopos leucotos''
*Northern flicker, ''Colaptes auratus'' (A)
*Black woodpecker, ''Dryocopus martius''
*European green woodpecker, ''Picus viridis''
*Iberian green woodpecker, ''Picus sharpei''
*Grey-headed woodpecker, ''Picus canus''
Falcons
Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
*Lesser kestrel, ''Falco naumanni''
*Common kestrel, ''Falco tinnunculus''
*American kestrel, ''Falco sparverius'' (A)
*Red-footed falcon, ''Falco vespertinus''
*Amur falcon, ''Falco amurensis'' (A)
*Eleonora's falcon, ''Falco eleonorae''
*Sooty falcon, ''Falco concolo'' (A)
*Merlin (bird), Merlin, ''Falco columbarius''
*Eurasian hobby, ''Falco subbuteo''
*Lanner falcon, ''Falco biarmicus''
*Saker falcon, ''Falco cherrug''
*Gyrfalcon, ''Falco rusticolus''
*Peregrine falcon, ''Falco peregrinus''
African and New World parrots
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae
In Europe, a species has established itself after being introduced by humans.
*Monk parakeet, ''Myiopsitta monachus'' (I)
Old World parrots
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae
In Europe, a species has established itself after being introduced by humans.
*Rose-ringed parakeet, ''Psittacula krameri'' (I)
Tyrant flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tyrannidae
A family from the Americas with very rare vagrants recorded in Iceland, Ireland and Great Britain.
*Eastern phoebe, ''Sayornis phoebe'' (A)
*Olive-sided flycatcher, ''Contopus cooperi'' (A)
*Eastern wood pewee, ''Contopus virens'' (A)
*Yellow-bellied flycatcher, ''Empidonax flaviventris'' (A)
*Acadian flycatcher, ''Empidonax virescens'' (A)
*Willow flycatcher, ''Empidonax traillii'' (A)
*Alder flycatcher, ''Empidonax alnorum'' (A)
*Least flycatcher, ''Empidonax minimus'' (A)
*Western kingbird, ''Tyrannus verticalis'' (A)
*Fork-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus savana'' (A)
*Eastern kingbird, ''Tyrannus tyrannus'' (A)
Shrikes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey.
*Brown shrike, ''Lanius cristatus'' (A)
*Red-backed shrike, ''Lanius collurio''
*Isabelline shrike, ''Lanius isabellinus'' (A)
*Red-tailed shrike, ''Lanius phoenicuroides'' (A)
*Long-tailed shrike, ''Lanius schach'' (A)
*Lesser grey shrike, ''Lanius minor''
*Northern shrike, ''Lanius borealis'' (A)
*Great grey shrike, ''Lanius excubitor''
*Iberian grey shrike, ''Lanius meridionalis''
*Woodchat shrike, ''Lanius senator''
*Masked shrike, ''Lanius nubicus''
Vireos, greenlets, and shrike-babblers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Vireonidae
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World and Southeast Asia.
*White-eyed vireo, ''Vireo griseus'' (A)
*Yellow-throated vireo, ''Vireo flavifrons'' (A)
*Blue-headed vireo, ''Vireo solitarius'' (A)
*Philadelphia vireo, ''Vireo philadelphicus'' (A)
*Red-eyed vireo, ''Vireo olivaceus'' (A)
Figbirds and orioles
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae
The figbirds and orioles are medium-sized passerines, mostly with bright and showy plumage, the females often have duller plumage than the males The beak is long, slightly curved and hooked. Orioles are arboreal and tend to feed in the canopy.
*Eurasian golden oriole, ''Oriolus oriolus''
Crows and jays
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcracker (bird), nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.
*Siberian jay, ''Perisoreus infaustus''
*Eurasian jay, ''Garrulus glandarius''
*Iberian magpie, ''Cyanopica cooki'' (E)
*Eurasian magpie, ''Pica pica''
*Spotted nutcracker, ''Nucifraga caryocatactes''
*Red-billed chough, ''Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax''
*Alpine chough, ''Pyrrhocorax graculus''
*Western jackdaw, ''Corvus monedula''
*Daurian jackdaw, ''Coloeus dauuricus'' (A)
*House crow, ''Corvus splendens'' (A)
*Rook (bird), Rook, ''Corvus frugilegus''
*Carrion crow, ''Corvus corone''
*Hooded crow, ''Corvus cornix''
*Northern raven, ''Corvus corax''
*Fan-tailed raven, ''Corvus rhipidurus'' (A)
Waxwings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.
*Bohemian waxwing, ''Bombycilla garrulus''
*Cedar waxwing, ''Bombycilla cedrorum'' (A)
Tits and chickadees
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.
*Coal tit, ''Periparus ater''
*Crested tit, ''Lophophanes cristatus''
*Sombre tit, ''Poecile lugubris''
*Grey-headed chickadee, ''Poecile cinctus''
*Marsh tit, ''Poecile palustris''
*Willow tit, ''Poecile montana''
*African blue tit, ''Cyanistes teneriffae''
*Eurasian blue tit, ''Cyanistes caeruleus''
*Azure tit, ''Cyanistes cyanus''
*Great tit, ''Parus major''
Penduline tits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Remizidae
The penduline tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.
*Eurasian penduline tit, ''Remiz pendulinus''
Bearded reedling
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Panuridae
A single species formerly placed in the Old World babbler family.
*Bearded reedling, ''Panurus biarmicus''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pycnonotidae
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.
*White-eared bulbul, ''Pycnonotus leucotis''
*Common bulbul, ''Pycnonotus barbatus''
Swallows and martins
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.
*Brown-throated martin, ''Riparia paludicola'' (A)
*Sand martin, ''Riparia riparia''
*Pale martin, ''Riparia diluta''
*Tree swallow, ''Tachycineta bicolor'' (A)
*Purple martin, ''Progne subis'' (A)
*Barn swallow, ''Hirundo rustica''
*Eurasian crag martin, ''Ptyonoprogne rupestris''
*Pale crag martin, ''Ptyonoprogne obsoleta'' (A)
*Rock martin, ''Ptyonoprogne fuligula'' (A)
*Common house martin, ''Delichon urbica''
*Red-rumped swallow, ''Cecropis daurica'' (A)
*American cliff swallow, ''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota''
Cettia bush warblers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cettiidae
Cettiidae is a family of small insectivorous songbirds. It contains the typical bush warblers (Cettia) and their relatives. Its members occur mainly in Asia and Africa, ranging into Oceania and Europe.
*Cetti's warbler, ''Cettia cetti''
Bushtits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Aegithalidae
Bushtits are a group of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They make woven bag nests in trees. Most eat a mixed diet which includes insects.
*Long-tailed tit, ''Aegithalos caudatus''
Leaf warblers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae
Leaf warblers are small, active, insectivorous passerine birds. They glean the foliage for insects along the branches of trees and bushes. They forage at various levels within forests, from the top canopy to the understorey. Most of the species are markedly territorial both in their summer and winter quarters. Most are greenish or brownish above and off-white or yellowish below.
*Wood warbler, ''Phylloscopus sibilatrix''
*Western Bonelli's warbler, ''Phylloscopus bonelli''
*Eastern Bonelli's warbler, ''Phylloscopus orientalis'' (A)
*Hume's leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus humei'' (A)
*Yellow-browed warbler, ''Phylloscopus inornatus''
*Pallas's leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus proregulus''
*Radde's warbler, ''Phylloscopus schwarzi'' (A)
*Dusky warbler, ''Phylloscopus fuscatus'' (A)
*Plain leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus neglectus'' (A)
*Willow warbler, ''Phylloscopus trochilus''
*Mountain chiffchaff, ''Phylloscopus sindianus'' (A)
*Canary Islands chiffchaff, ''Phylloscopus canariensis''
*Common chiffchaff, ''Phylloscopus collybita''
*Iberian chiffchaff, ''Phylloscopus brehmii''
*Eastern crowned warbler, ''Phylloscopus coronatus'' (A)
*Green warbler, ''Phylloscopus nitidus'' (A)
*Two-barred warbler, ''Phyloscopus plumbeitarsus'' (A)
*Greenish warbler, ''Phylloscopus trochiloides''
*Large-billed leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus magnirostris'' (A)
*Pale-legged leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus tenellipes'' (A)
*Kamchatka leaf warbler, ''Phylloscopus examinandus'' (A)
*Arctic warbler, ''Phylloscopus borealis''
Reed warblers, Grauer’s warbler, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae
The species in this family are usually rather large warblers. Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.
*Great reed warbler, ''Acrocephalus arundinaceus''
*Clamorous reed warbler, '' Acrocephalus stentoreus'' (A)
*Moustached warbler, ''Acrocephalus melanopogon''
*Aquatic warbler, ''Acrocephalus paludicola''
*Sedge warbler, ''Acrocephalus schoenobaenus''
*Paddyfield warbler, ''Acrocephalus agricola'' (A)
*Blyth's reed warbler, ''Acrocephalus dumetorum''
*Common reed warbler, ''Acrocephalus scirpaceus''
*Marsh warbler, ''Acrocephalus palustris''
*Thick-billed warbler, ''Arundinax aedon'' (A)
*Booted warbler, ''Iduna caligata'' (A)
*Sykes's warbler, ''Iduna rama'' (A)
*Eastern olivaceous warbler, ''Iduna pallida''
*Western olivaceous warbler, ''Iduna opaca''
*Upcher's warbler, ''Hippolais languida'' (A)
*Olive-tree warbler, ''Hippolais olivetorum''
*Melodious warbler, ''Hippolais polyglotta''
*Icterine warbler, ''Hippolais icterina''
Grassbirds and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Locustellidae
Grassbirds are small insectivorous songbirds, with tails that are usually long and pointed. These birds occur mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are less wren-like than the typical shrub-warblers (Cettia) but like these drab brownish or buffy all over. Many have bold dark streaks on wings and/or underside. Most live in scrubland and frequently hunt food by clambering through thick tangled growth or pursuing it on the ground; they are perhaps the most terrestrial of the "warblers".
*Gray's grasshopper warbler, ''Helopsaltes fasciolatus'' (A)
*Pallas's grasshopper warbler, ''Helopsaltes certhiola'' (A)
*Lanceolated warbler, ''Locustella lanceolata'' (A)
*River warbler, ''Locustella fluviatilis''
*Savi's warbler, ''Locustella luscinioides''
*Common grasshopper warbler, ''Locustella naevia''
Cisticolas and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cisticolidae
Cisticolas are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. They are often difficult to see and many species are similar in appearance, so the song is often the best identification guide. These are insectivorous birds which nest low in vegetation.
*Zitting cisticola, ''Cisticola juncidis''
*Graceful prinia, ''Prinia gracilis''
Sylviid babblers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae
The sylviid warblers are a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
*Eurasian blackcap, ''Sylvia atricapilla''
*Garden warbler, ''Sylvia borin''
*Barred warbler, ''Curruca nisoria''
*Desert whitethroat, ''Curruca minula'' (A)
*Lesser whitethroat, ''Curruca curruca''
*Hume's whitethroat, ''Curruca althaea'' (A)
*Western Orphean warbler, ''Curruca hortensis''
*Eastern Orphean warbler, ''Curruca crassirostris''
*African desert warbler, ''Curruca deserti'' (A)
*Asian desert warbler, ''Curruca nana'' (A)
*Tristram's warbler, ''Curruca deserticola''
*Menetries's warbler, ''Curruca mystacea'' (A)
*Rüppell's warbler, ''Curruca ruppeli''
*Cyprus warbler, ''Curruca melanothorax''
*Sardinian warbler, ''Curruca melanocephala''
*Western subalpine warbler, ''Curruca iberiae''
*Moltoni's warbler, ''Curruca subalpina''
*Eastern subalpine warbler, ''Curruca cantillans''
*Common whitethroat, ''Curruca communis''
*Spectacled warbler, ''Curruca conspicillata''
*Marmora's warbler, ''Curruca sarda''
*Dartford warbler, ''Curruca undata''
*Balearic warbler, ''Curruca balearica'' (E)
Laughingthrushes, barwings, and sibias
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Leiothrichidae
The laughingthrushes are a family of Old World passerine birds. They are diverse in size and coloration. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
*Red-billed leiothrix, ''Leiothrix lutea'' (I)
Goldcrests and kinglets
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae
The kinglets, also called crests, are a small group of birds often included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmouse, titmice.
*Common firecrest, ''Regulus ignicapillus''
*Goldcrest, ''Regulus regulus''
*Madeira firecrest, ''Regulus madeirensis''
*Ruby-crowned kinglet, ''Corthylio calendula'' (A)
Wrens
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Troglodytidae
The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.
*Marsh wren, ''Cistothorus palustris''
*Eurasian wren, ''Troglodytes troglodytes''
Nuthatches
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet.
*Krüper's nuthatch, ''Sitta krueperi''
*Red-breasted nuthatch, ''Sitta canadensis'' (A)
*Corsican nuthatch, ''Sitta whiteheadi'' (E)
*Western rock nuthatch, ''Sitta neumayer''
*Eurasian nuthatch, ''Sitta europaea''
Wallcreeper
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tichodromidae
The wallcreeper is a small bird related to the nuthatch family, which has stunning crimson, grey and black plumage.
*Wallcreeper, ''Tichodroma muraria''
Treecreepers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae
Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees.
*Eurasian treecreeper, ''Certhia familiaris''
*Short-toed treecreeper, ''Certhia brachydactyla''
Mockingbirds and thrashers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Mimidae
Medium-sized passerine birds with long tails. Some are notable for their ability to mimic sounds such as other birds' songs.
*Grey catbird, ''Dumetella carolinensis'' (A)
*Northern mockingbird, ''Mimus polyglottos'' (A)
*Brown thrasher, ''Toxostoma rufum'' (A)
Starlings and rhabdornis
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
*Crested myna, ''Acridotheres cristatellus'' (I)
*Daurian starling, ''Agropsar sturninus'' (A)
*Rosy starling, ''Pastor roseus''
*Common starling, ''Sturnus vulgaris''
*Spotless starling, ''Sturnus unicolor''
Thrushes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The Thrush (bird), thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.
*Siberian thrush, ''Geokichla sibirica'' (A)
*White's thrush, ''Zoothera aurea''
*Scaly thrush, ''Zoothera dauma'' (A)
*Varied thrush, ''Ixoreus naevius'' (A)
*Veery, ''Catharus fuscescens'' (A)
*Grey-cheeked thrush, ''Catharus minimus'' (A)
*Swainson's thrush, ''Catharus ustulatus'' (A)
*Hermit thrush, ''Catharus guttatus'' (A)
*Wood thrush, ''Hylocichla mustelina'' (A)
*Tickell's thrush, ''Turdus unicolor'' (A)
*Ring ouzel, ''Turdus torquatus''
*Common blackbird, ''Turdus merula''
*Eyebrowed thrush, ''Turdus obscurus'' (A)
*Black-throated thrush, ''Turdus atrogularis''
*Red-throated thrush, ''Turdus ruficollis'' (A)
*Naumann's thrush, ''Turdus naumanni'' (A)
*Dusky thrush, ''Turdus naumanni''
*Fieldfare, ''Turdus pilaris''
*Redwing, ''Turdus iliacus''
*Song thrush, ''Turdus philomelos''
*Mistle thrush, ''Turdus viscivorus''
*American robin, ''Turdus migratorius'' (A)
Chats and Old World flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
*Rufous-tailed scrub robin, ''Cercotrichas galactotes''
*Spotted flycatcher, ''Muscicapa striata''
*Mediterranean flycatcher, ''Muscicapa tyrrhenica''
*Dark-sided flycatcher, ''Muscicapa sibirica'' (A)
*Asian brown flycatcher, ''Muscicapa dauurica'' (A)
*European robin, ''Erithacus rubecula''
*Siberian blue robin, ''Larvivora cyane'' (A)
*Rufous-tailed robin, ''Larvivora sibilans'' (A)
*Bluethroat, ''Luscinia svecica''
*Thrush nightingale, ''Luscinia luscinia''
*Common nightingale, ''Luscinia megarhynchos''
*White-throated robin, ''Irania gutturalis''
*Siberian rubythroat, ''Calliope calliope'' (A)
*Red-flanked bluetail, ''Tarsiger cyanurus''
*Taiga flycatcher, ''Ficedula albicilla'' (A)
*Red-breasted flycatcher, ''Ficedula parva'' (A)
*Semicollared flycatcher, ''Ficedula semitorquata''
*European pied flycatcher, ''Ficedula hypoleuca''
*Collared flycatcher, ''Ficedula albicollis''
*Atlas pied flycatcher, ''Ficedula speculigera'' (A)
*Eversmann's redstart, ''Phoenicurus erythronotus''
*Black redstart, ''Phoenicurus ochruros''
*Common redstart, ''Phoenicurus phoenicurus''
*Moussier's redstart, ''Phoenicurus moussieri'' (A)
*Plumbeous water redstart, ''Phoenicurus fuliginosus'' (A)
*Common rock thrush, ''Monticola saxatilis''
*Blue rock thrush, ''Monticola solitarius''
*Whinchat, ''Saxicola rubetra''
*Canary Islands stonechat, ''Saxicola dacotiae''
*European stonechat, ''Saxicola rubicola''
*Siberian stonechat, ''Saxicola maurus''
*Amur stonechat, ''Saxicola stejnegeri''
*African stonechat, ''Saxicola torquatus''
*Pied bush chat, ''Saxicola caprata '' (A)
*Northern wheatear, ''Oenanthe oenanthe''
*Isabelline wheatear, ''Oenanthe isabellina''
*Desert wheatear, ''Oenanthe deserti'' (A)
*Western black-eared wheatear, ''Oenanthe hispanica''
*Eastern black-eared wheatear, ''Oenanthe melanoleuca''
*Cyprus wheatear, ''Oenanthe cypriaca''
*Pied wheatear, ''Oenanthe pleschanka''
*Red-rumped wheatear, ''Oenanthe moesta'' (A)
*Variable wheatear, ''Oenanthe picata'' (A)
*Black wheatear, ''Oenanthe leucura''
*White-crowned wheatear, ''Oenanthe leucopyga'' (A)
*Finsch's wheatear, ''Oenanthe finschii'' (A)
*Kurdish wheatear, ''Oenanthe xanthoprymna'' (A)
Dippers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cinclidae
Dippers are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe and Asia. They are named for their bobbing or dipping movements.
*White-throated dipper, ''Cinclus cinclus''
Old World sparrows and snowfinches
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
Old World sparrow, Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters and they also consume small insects.
*House sparrow, ''Passer domesticus''
*Italian sparrow, ''Passer italiae''
*Spanish sparrow, ''Passer hispaniolensis''
*Dead Sea sparrow, ''Passer moabiticus'' (A)
*Eurasian tree sparrow, ''Passer montanus''
*Rock sparrow, ''Petronia petronia''
*White-winged snowfinch, ''Montifringilla nivalis''
Weavers and widowbirds
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Ploceidae
The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season.
*Black-headed weaver, ''Ploceus melanocephalus'' (I)
*Yellow-crowned bishop, ''Euplectes afer'' (I)
Waxbills, munias and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.
*Scaly-breasted munia, ''Lonchura punctulata'' (I)
*Tricolored munia, ''Lonchura malacca''
*Chestnut munia, ''Lonchura atricapilla'' (I)
*Common waxbill, ''Estrilda astrild'' (I)
*Red avadavat, ''Amandava amandava'' (I)
Accentors
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Prunellidae
The accentors are in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to Old World sparrow, sparrows.
*Alpine accentor, ''Prunella collaris''
*Siberian accentor, ''Prunella montanella'' (A)
*Radde's accentor, ''Prunella ocularis''
*Black-throated accentor, ''Prunella atrogularis'' (A)
*Dunnock, ''Prunella modularis''
Wagtails and pipits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.
*Western yellow wagtail, ''Motacilla flava''
*Eastern yellow wagtail, ''Motacilla tschutschensis''
*Citrine wagtail, ''Motacilla citreola''
*Grey wagtail, ''Motacilla cinerea''
*White wagtail, ''Motacilla alba''
*Richard's pipit, ''Anthus richardi''
*Paddyfield pipit, ''Anthus rufulus'' (A)
*Blyth's pipit, ''Anthus godlewskii'' (A)
*Tawny pipit, ''Anthus campestris''
*Long-billed pipit, ''Anthus similis'' (A)
*Meadow pipit, ''Anthus pratensis''
*Tree pipit, ''Anthus trivialis''
*Olive-backed pipit, ''Anthus hodgsoni'' (A)
*Pechora pipit, ''Anthus gustavi'' (A)
*Red-throated pipit, ''Anthus cervinus''
*Buff-bellied pipit, ''Anthus rubescens'' (A)
*Water pipit, ''Anthus spinoletta''
*Eurasian rock pipit, ''Anthus petrosus''
*Berthelot's pipit, ''Anthus berthelotii''
Finches and euphonias
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.
*Common chaffinch, ''Fringilla coelebs''
*Tenerife blue chaffinch, ''Fringilla teydea''
*Gran Canaria blue chaffinch, ''Fringilla polatzeki''
*Brambling, ''Fringilla montifringilla''
*Evening grosbeak, ''Hesperiphona vespertina'' (A)
*Hawfinch, ''Coccothraustes coccothraustes''
*Pine grosbeak, ''Pinicola enucleator''
*Eurasian bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula pyrrhula''
*Azores bullfinch, ''Pyrrhula murina''
*Asian crimson-winged finch, ''Rhodopechys sanguineus''
*Trumpeter finch, ''Bucanetes githagineus''
*Mongolian finch, ''Bucanetes mongolicus''
*Grey-crowned rosy finch, ''Leucosticte tephrocotis''
*Common rosefinch, ''Carpodacus erythrinus''
*Great rosefinch, ''Carpodacus rubicilla'' (A)
*Pallas's rosefinch, ''Carpodacus roseus'' (A)
*European greenfinch, ''Chloris chloris''
*Twite, ''Linaria flavirostris''
*Common linnet, ''Linaria cannabina''
*Common redpoll, ''Acanthis flammea''
*Lesser redpoll, ''Acanthis cabararet''
*Arctic redpoll, ''Acanthis hornemanni''
*Parrot crossbill, ''Loxia pytyopsittacus''
*Scottish crossbill, ''Loxia scotica'' (E)
*Red crossbill, ''Loxia curvirostra''
*Two-barred crossbill, ''Loxia leucoptera''
*European goldfinch, ''Carduelis carduelis''
*Citril finch, ''Carduelis citrinella''
*Corsican finch, ''Carduelis corsicana''
*Red-fronted serin, ''Serinus pusillus'' (A)
*European serin, ''Serinus serinus''
*Atlantic canary, ''Serinus canaria''
*Cape canary, ''Serinus canicollis'' (A)
*Eurasian siskin, ''Spinus spinus''
Longspurs and snow buntings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Calcariidae
The Calcariidae are a family of birds that had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.
*Lapland longspur, ''Calcarius lapponicus''
*Snow bunting, ''Plectrophenax nivalis''
Buntings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.
*Corn bunting, ''Emberiza calandra''
*Yellowhammer, ''Emberiza citrinella''
*Pine bunting, ''Emberiza leucocephalos'' (A)
*Rock bunting, ''Emberiza cia''
*Grey-necked bunting, ''Emberiza buchanani'' (A)
*Cinereous bunting, ''Emberiza cineracea''
*Ortolan bunting, ''Emberiza hortulana''
*Cretzschmar's bunting, ''Emberiza caesia''
*Cirl bunting, ''Emberiza cirlus''
*Striolated bunting, ''Emberiza striolata''
*House bunting, ''Emberiza sahari'' (A)
*Chestnut-eared bunting, ''Emberiza fucata'' (A)
*Little bunting, ''Emberiza pusilla''
*Yellow-browed bunting, ''Emberiza chrysophrys'' (A)
*Rustic bunting, ''Emberiza rustica''
*Yellow-breasted bunting, ''Emberiza aureola'' (A)
*Chestnut bunting, ''Emberiza rutila'' (A)
*Black-headed bunting, ''Emberiza melanocephala
*Red-headed bunting, ''Emberiza bruniceps'' (A)
*Black-faced bunting, ''Emberiza spodocephala'' (A)
*Masked bunting, ''Emberiza personata'
*Pallas's reed bunting, ''Emberiza pallasi'' (A)
*Common reed bunting, ''Emberiza schoeniclus''
New World sparrows and bush tanagers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passerellidae
The New World sparrows (or American sparrows) are a large family of seed-eating passerine birds with distinctively finch-like bills.
*Lark sparrow, ''Chondestes grammacus'' (A)
*Red fox sparrow, ''Passerella iliaca'' (A)
*American tree sparrow, ''Spizelloides arborea'' (A)
*Dark-eyed junco, ''Junco hyemalis''
*White-crowned sparrow, ''Zonotrichia leucophrys'' (A)
*White-throated sparrow, ''Zonotrichia albicollis'' (A)
*Savannah sparrow, ''Passerculus sandwichensis'' (A)
*Song sparrow, ''Melospiza melodia'' (A)
*Lincoln's sparrow, ''Melospiza lincolnii'' (A)
*Eastern towhee, ''Pipilo erythrophthalmus'' (A)
Yellow-breasted chat
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Icteriidae
This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers (Parulidae) but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there. It was placed in its own family in 2017.
*Yellow-breasted chat, ''Icteria virens'' (A)
Oropendolas, orioles, and blackbirds
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Icteridae
Icterids make up a family of small- to medium-sized, often colorful, New-World passerine birds. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The species in the family vary widely in size, shape, behavior and coloration.
*Yellow-headed blackbird, ''Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus'' (A)
*Bobolink, ''Dolichonyx oryzivorus'' (A)
*Baltimore oriole, ''Icterus galbula'' (A)
*Red-winged blackbird, ''Agelaius phoeniceus'' (A)
*Brown-headed cowbird, ''Molothrus ater'' (A)
*Rusty blackbird, ''Euphagus carolinus'' (A)
*Common grackle, ''Quiscalus quiscula'' (A)
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cardinalidae
Cardinals are passerine birds found in North and South America. They are also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings.
*Summer tanager, ''Piranga rubra'' (A)
*Scarlet tanager, ''Piranga olivacea'' (A)
*Rose-breasted grosbeak, ''Pheucticus ludovicianus'' (A)
*Dickcissel, ''Spiza americana'' (A)
*Blue grosbeak, ''Pheucticus caerulea'' (A)
*Indigo bunting, ''Passerina cyanea'' (A)
See also
*Lists of birds by region
*The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds